Fire extinguisher



Aug. 23, 1949. F. A. WOODWORTH 2,479,301

FIRE EXTINGUISHER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 24, 1946 INVENTOR FIG- FRED A.WOODWORTH A TTORNE Y5 Aug. 23, 1949. F. A. WOODWORTH 2,479,301

FIRE EXTINGUISHER I Filed June 24, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTQR/VEVS filled with a common "s'uchas CCM. 1

Patented Aug. 23, 1949 s" 1 a; t '1. I "if ("11". a? I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE f2",479,s d1

Fred A. Woodworth, Minneapolis, J lifiiiiiitit jninetii, 1946, Serial No. 678,910

Thisinvention relates 'to fire extinguishers. "som 6f the 'structureof the present invention is an improvement overthe invention dis- 2,4'02,*704, and entitled Fire: control apparatus.

one of the objects of-the-invention is to pro,- vide 'a life extinguisher which can be readily retype of extinguishing fluid Another object of the invention: is to provide a'fi extinguisher including a casingnadapted to hold a frangible containennthe casing-having an opening therein wherebyla strikencan-be released to pass through-said openingand break said cont'ainer; and wherebyethetoasing is provided with a flexible wire cloth liner which-rpreventsithe broken glass oriotherflfrangible material from escaping from the casing. 1

Another object of the in-ventioniis; to provide a spring pressed plungervfor fraeturing the frangible container and-imans whereby said spring pressed plunger can .be-re'set,-

A further objctiofat-he, inventi n. is to provide an easily operable andihighlyiefiicient closure'for the casing whichaholdsethe glass or other comstriker. a

I The above and other-ohjects and--adyantages of the invention will-more-f-ully appearv from .the

followingdescription made in cnnection=with the ateoiiipanyifigumwmgs, wherein like reference characters refer t q the same parts throughout the views, and, in which-:

ure- 1 iew rad a l er de e vat and partially broken away showing the embodiment of e r n io i Figure 2 is a fragmentary viewp artially in sectionv of the casing closure securing meansti'x' Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the u u e nF u zz, w 1' iFieulre i eev e i; impa fetzhe tinguisher fluidreceiyer broken away and with l as l Q WWTR FFQYQQ fir zfizzi a i ure i an"enlar ,-r einen n itu dinal vertical sectional view through a portion of heme h miand. L1; 1 -.1,

A Fieur ifiiis a lertiqalzsectional view through the alarm unit shown in Figure 1.

The device includes a casing 10 which prefer- 5 omens. (01. 1692) nosed in my co pe'nding application Serial Num- "per-480,300, filed March z, 1943, now Patent No.

:ably islof metal; which, 'as'shown Figure 5, is

provided witha lower side wallopening or "aperlture Li, 'It .Sh'Quld further; be noted in'- Figure'S that. thebottcmof the aperture is 'lo'cateda shortldistance above triefbottoniroi the casing ID. Within the leasing Illis a cylindrical lining [2 which may. conveniently; bfelformedfroni' wir'e pletely covers, the ,ope'ningjl -l in the lower side wall. portion of the 'containerfi'Re'cei'ved within the Wire" liner I2 is a glasf'sbrfother frangible containerl .,l 3,.whicht may be 'filledfwith' C014 "or other suitable. material.) for extinguishing fires. amThe top ofrthelcasin'g lfl is provided witha'removable cover! 41} Extending upwardlyfromop} posite pointshoi'the side wall-df'the container [2 are ears l5ihavi-ngapertures' l-fi therethrough. A rod l'lisvreceivedin the apertures IB and one end thereof, is provided with ajspring catch element I8 .whichvis adaptedito engage-its adjacent ear vl 5.to releasably' hold'ztherod .l L in" positionlf This closureis' providedto prevent ftlie glas's jar "l3 from'fl'ostlir-ig from itheicasing l 0 Qsince it is contemplated that apparatus is adaptable' for use inlmoyingive'hicles. "Means for securing-the closureisre'adfly receivable so that the user of the apparatuscan easily recharge the device after it hasb'eentused.

Extending outwardly from the bottom of the casing ill and in communication! with'the opening J I insaid Casing isi'ap'air of side frame members L9 and 20... Securedto the side frame; member .19 is amounting bracket 2i and a'bracket 22 is.suitablyc-onnectd tol'the casing ID." The side frame members, [9, and were connected-at their; left hand ends by a U-shaped cross member-13. 1 ,l I L i. V 3" UV i l 5 Mountedubetweeh and supported-by the side franieme'mbrs l9a'ndl2o and communicatin with the opening ll thewall (if-the container I 0. isle, receiver. or ichamber' 24; having a downwardly extending sump 25 which is provided with a. plurality .of outletsitn Extending int oitheireceiver 241s a-ir'od 3Z1. whosednherendis provided withlatpointl28. i-A helicalspring Z9 is nositi-onedv between the inner leftend wall of f the receiyervl lmandithe, pdinted' head or end 28 on the} plunger rod '2 .1 The left hand er rear end of. the rodlZ'I islpro ided-with' a flange 30 to which is secured a. pair-l of SpacedIarmS -B'I having a. bolt 3 2.connecte d between them...A,U .bolt 33 is'shown mounted :thr'ougm the LU shaped l crossapiece zii 3 U bolt 33 with the straight bolt 32 mounted between the arms 3|. Thus when the link 34 melts the spring 29 will move the plunger 21, 28 to the right with considerable force and the pointed end of the plunger will either penetrate the wire screen [2 or merely push it in and at the same time break the glass jar l3. Thereupon the extinguisher fluid will flow into the chamber 24 and thence to the sump 25 where it will spray from the opening 23, the apparatus normally being mounted at arelatively high point in the enclosure in which it is used. The wire prevents broken glass from escaping from the apparatus since even fine particles may at times cause damage or injury. This is particularly true where the closed receiver 24 is not used as is sometimes the case.

A threaded rod 35 is normally supported, as shown in Figure 4, by a pair of brackets 36 which are mounted on the casing side frame member 20. When thespring 29 hasbeen released, it is necessary to reset the plunger. That is the function of the rod 35. As, shown in Figures 1 and 5, the rod 35is passed through a suitable aperture in the end member 23 which'connects the frame members Hand 20, and said rod 35 is threaded into a threaded aperture in the flange 30 on the plunger rd21. Anut 36 on therod 35 can be screwed upagainst thecross member 23 to gradually force the plungerto the left against the pressure of the spring 29. This reset unit is providedsince in some cases the strength of the spring 29 is considerable. r

In Figure 1 there is shown an alarm unit which can be used with the apparatus. It includes a panel .31 upon which is mounted a U-shaped bracket 38 having a lowerarm 39 and an upper arm 40. The lower arm 39 is provided with a central aperture 4| through which a pair of spring mounted pins 42 extend, said pinsbeing supported in ablock of insulation 43 mounted on the under side of the arm 39. A spring actuated plunger 44 passes througha guide bracket 45 mounted on the arm 49 ofthe .bracket 38, and said plunger 44 slidably extends through the" arm 40 as well as the guide 45. A coil spring 46'lies between the under side of the arm 46 and an insulated head 41 ,onthe. endof said rod 44. A strip of metal 48 is mounted on the under side of the block 41 so that when the plunger 44 is moved downwardly the two spring supported pins 42 will be bridged by the metal. The plunger. 44 is connected by a flexible cord or wire 49 to the pin 32 connecting thernembers 3| on the .left hand end of the main plunger rodv 21, as shown in Figures 1, 4 and 5. Consequently, when the fusible link 34 melts and releases the main plungerthe cable 49 will also release the plunger 44 to bridge the contact pins 42, thereby energizing an electric alarm bell 50 shownin Figure 1. At the same time a pair of mechanically operated bells |v will be operated by reason of linkage 52 which connects said bells to the head of the plunger 44, as clearly shown in Figure 1,

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I. have provided a relatively simply constructed and operated fire extinguishing device which has several. advantages. It is of a type which utilizes a frangible containenwhich can be readily replaced. and. the replacement can be cheaply and 'easily filled'with an extinguishing fluid. When the glass or other container is broken by action of the main spring pressed plunger the wire lining in the casing which holds the glass container prevents the glass from escaping. As an added precaution against the escape of glass the opening II in the side of the casing I0 is located a short distance above the bottom of the casing so that tiny glass particles will not wash out of the casing with the extinguisher fluid but will be trapped in the bottom of the casing. The casing is provided with a simple and quickly operated closure and retainer therefor.

I have provided a simple and easily operated reset device and the alarm system which may or may not be used depending upon the location of the particular installation is simple and effective.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a: fire extinguisher, a casing having an opening therein, a perforate element in said casing and covering said opening, a frangible container for fire extinguishing fluid in said casing, said perforate element lying between the inner wall portion of said casing and said container, a striker supported adjacent said casing and movable through said opening, and said perforate element lying in the path of movement of said striker and yieldable to permit said striker to break said container.

2. The structure in claim 1 and said perforate element being thin and flexible and non-brittle.

3. The structure in claim 1 and said perforate elementbeing a removable liner of wire cloth loosely received in said casing and readily removable therefrom.

4. In a fire extinguisher, a frangible container, a spring pressed plunger mounted adjacent said container and releasable to strike thecontainer, a reset rod detachably securable to said plunger, an abutment member through which said rod passes to engage said plunger, a nut threaded on said rod and movable against said abutment member to move said rod and said plunger against the action of the plunger spring.

5. In a fire extinguisher, a casing having a side wall with an opening therein,said casing having a closed bottom, said side wall opening being located a short distance above said bottom to provide a drop in the lower portion of the casing, a frangible container in said casing, a striker located adjacent said casing and movable through "said openin to contact and break said container, and a perforate element extending across said opening.

FRED A. WOODWORTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 253,318 Simpson Feb. 7, 1882 306,552 Tillion Oct. 14, 1884 609,569 Berchtold Aug. 23, 1898 1,776,221 Gillen Sept. 16, 1930 1,838,655 Bronander Dec. 29, 1931 1,842,665 Feldman Jan. 26, 1932 1,849,644 Stokes Mar. 15, 1932 1,926,762 Ceaton Sept. 12, 1933 2,402,704 Woodworth June 25, 1946 

